Kukla's Korner Hockey

Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs is hopping mad at the NHL over the $25-million (all currency U.S.) that is due from the city May 2 to cover part of the Phoenix Coyotes losses this season and wants to play tough with the league.

In addition to blasting the NHL during a budget meeting Tuesday, the mayor asked her colleagues on city council to petition NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to return most of the $20-million that is currently in an escrow account for the May 2 payment. The city did not have enough money to put all of the $25-million it promised the NHL in the account and Scruggs indicated it still does not have the shortfall of $5-million.

The money is desperately needed to help cover a potential budget deficit of $30-million. In any event, Scruggs said, the money should be the NHL’s problem because the league did not play straight with the city about its prospects of selling the Coyotes.

Wow, how clueless do you have to be to make Bettman look sympathetic. Stories like this make me wish there was a way for the league to suffer for this boondoggle while Glendale simultaneously loses the team.

they should just move back to the Phoenix area, should of never moved to Glendale, there the Phoenix Coyotes not the Glendale Coyotes?!!

Posted by
Coyotes Fan from 96
from Arizona on 04/04/12 at 07:13 PM ET

they should just move back to the Phoenix area, should of never moved to Glendale, there the Phoenix Coyotes not the Glendale Coyotes?!!

Coyotes Fan from 96 from Arizona

Agreed. I grew up in AZ and can attest that Glendale is a TERRIBLE place for a hockey team. It works fine for the Cardinals since they play once a week, on Sundays. Try getting to Glendale from most of the Phoenix metro area, fighting rush hour traffic. Forget about it.

Bosephus AGREED!!!! to first post,.....when there were in Phoenix i was going to atleast 10 games a season…. now i go about 2-3 time a season if there lucky…... and i can’t watch them unless i have cable! so i go to the bar to watch the games….. i grew up in AZ aswell 33 years, im in the Tempe/Mesa area so it was so easy to get to the America west arena

Posted by
Coyotes Fan from 96
from Arizona on 04/04/12 at 07:42 PM ET

Dumb place to put arena. Hard to ever make it work. Bet they move in off season.